"I started making my mother's recipes when I moved out on my own - sometimes because I felt homesick - other times to carry on the Summer tradition. My brother did the same with his family. My children in turn know all about potato salad and marinated green beans as the beginning and the essence of Summer and of shared time together. In the spirit of the holidays and simple Summer picnics this week's menu give potato salad center stage."

This is so funny writing to you today, as you're HERE next door, also writing to furiously catch up as I am right now. It's been wonderfully busy with you so far. I can hardly believe my luck in life as I have you, my dear friend, in.the.flesh working right alongside me. The air crackles as I teach and learn with you. Can you feel it?

I don't want to think about being in the kitchen without you now that I have you beside me.

Here is my much belated week 4 recap, the last week before you arrived to the mullies and to the Prairie Farm Corps team.

I don't know if I will find the time to write to you again here (while we're working together) as I want to soak you in like french toast. In the meantime, let's have tons of fun taking over the Food Revolution's Instagram page together! We must capture and savor every moment.

After tearing up over onion cutting, Kiyan and I try the freezer trick for our poor eyes. It sorta kinda helped.

Rainbow chard from the farm is so beautiful. Kiyan is a pro now at removing the leaves from the ribs.

Such beautiful work Mia!!

I could not have been more excited to teach them how to make my crab n veggie cakes. Natalie you formed some lovely patties my dear. Baking them is absolutely the way to go. I fried them first and we all decided to give baking a go. I may never fry up my cakies again!

I am so proud of the presentations this kitchen crew made for our crew at lunch time. It makes me so happy to watch them read through your kitchen notebook for reference and then teach the rest of the students a thing or two of what they have learned in the kitchen.

There's no more talking to you on the line! YOU'RE HERE!!! I have so much to write about now that we have taken a billion pictures from our first week together. I don't want to miss out on one second though. I know I'll have time after you leave. I am desperate for this next week to last longer than the first... I have fallen in love with you and our Prairie Farm Corps crew.

ps

Leslie, Natalie, Mia and Kiyan made this gorgeous foraged mulberry icecream + Epic Chocolate Beet Cake last Thursday. Isn't it gorgeous!!? We must have the kids keep picking these while they are still good and freeze them for our celebration dinner in August. Summer please slow down!

"'Aglio . Olio e Peroncino', literally translated as garlic, oil and red peppers is as holy a trinity as the soffritto. Three simple ingredients create an irresistibly aromatic and spicy combination of flavors in less time than it takes to cook pasta or wash a colander of vegetables. In Italy a combination of ingredients is called 'holy' or 'sacred' when they are especially meaningful. Here, food is taken as seriously as spirituality one might say... "

I don't think lunch could have gone any better last week! I was more nervous about this menu than the others which is so funny as the menu was simply pasta, pizza, salad and fruit. I think it was because I knew how excited the crew would be for homemade pizza. What if the crust didn't turn out? What if we burn the pizza? What if the middle of the pizza is a soggy mess!? All of those things have happened to me in the kitchen at one time or another making pizza from scratch.

Oh Terri, the entire menu came together like a world series win and I could not be prouder of these three Prairie Farm Corps chefs! Here is how our third Food Revolution Day Wednesday with The Kitchen Notebook went down:

We stretched it out early with some yoga.

Crew members translate recipes from English to Spanish for farm produce recipients at WIC and Beacon Place.

"Mise en place" - Our honey and vinegar marinade.

The pizza dough balls are ready for the fridge!

Fresh garlic from the farm is a revelation! My new favorite thing.

We added some farm fresh jalepenos to our "Aglio e Olio". The simple trinity of Olive oil + peppers + garlic this week was a revelation to all of us. I could let this sit on my counter all day for a simple, fast Summer pasta dinner.

Your Olive Oil-Dijon Yogurt Dressing is a huge fan favorite. Measuring out all of the ingredients on the scale is truly the easiest thing in the world. Grams vs Cups = Grams wins! I just found your post on family favorite vinaigrettes and have bookmarked it!

At home, I usually use leftover pasta sauce for my pizza. Making this raw salsa cruda was crazy fast and simple. We all marveled at how delicious and easy it was to make!

We used a minimal amount of pressure in making the crust just like you taught us!

The chefs decided to divide the pasta and add the sautéed kale to just one bowl.

The pizza was gone in 2 seconds flat. There was 7 bites of apricot left in the bowl.

Cooking Rockstars...

Cleaning rockstars!

We are beginning the recipe voting for our celebration dinner!

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the last Food Revolution Day Wednesday before I pick you up at the airport. I get goosebumps on my arms when I think of seeing you on the curb, in person after all these years of screen time. I might just knock you over with some soppy happy tears.

We'll be cooking and teaching together in less than a week! The anticipation is CRAZY!!!!